The Florida Panthers' Erik Gudbranson (back) and the Ducks' Dustin Penner look for the puck during the second period on Tuesday in Sunrise, Fla. J PAT CARTER, AP

SUNRISE, Fla. – No one needs to tell Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry just how much of an honor it is to represent their country on the world stage and the great challenge it is to make Canada’s national hockey team in an Olympic year.

Getzlaf and Perry, the Ducks’ dynamic duo, captured gold in 2010 with Team Canada on home soil, and the two desperately want to add to their medal collection in February when the Winter Olympics commence in Sochi, Russia.

Some questions about the worthiness of Getzlaf and Perry this time around are being answered by the high-scoring forwards in the first few weeks of the NHL season. Both have taken up residence among the league‘s scoring leaders.

It figures that Team Canada general manager Steve Yzerman is taking note of their exploits.

“Obviously, we’re human,” Perry said. “And you’re going to think about it. It’s obviously in the back of your mind. For the most part, I don’t know if I was before games thinking that I had to go out and do something special to make that team.

“I’m just going out and playing hockey. Just trying to help this team. The chips are going to fall where they fall.”

Perry leads the Ducks with 11 goals and his 21 points are tied for sixth in the NHL. Getzlaf has done him one better as his team-leading 22 points – 10 of which are goals – are tied for third.

Getzlaf is vying to make a roster that has among center choices Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, John Tavares, Matt Duchene, Eric Staal and Patrice Bergeron. The Ducks’ captain insists his immediate focus is on his team.

“It’s always there,” Getzlaf said. “I want to be part of that team. It’s a big part of hockey and being part of Canada. But this year, the main focus was getting off to a good start for this group. The rest of that other stuff will take care of itself.”

An unexpected opening was created when Tampa Bay star Steven Stamkos suffered a broken leg Monday when he slid into a goal post as he defended against Boston’s Dougie Hamilton. Stamkos, the NHL’s purest goal scorer, was seen as a lock.

The two might benefit from the absence of Stamkos, but they took no joy in seeing him getting hurt, given that it could also weaken Canada in the end. Getzlaf said the injury was “brutal” and “you don’t want to make teams based on that.”

“To be on that team, you want to have the best team that we can have, and if Steven was part of that, (it’s bad) for him that he’s gone,” he continued. “(It’s bad) for the group.”

Perry believes that Stamkos will be motivated to become an even better player when he returns to action.

“It’s unfortunate,” Perry said. “He’s a face of the NHL. What he does for this game and what he’s brought to this game, especially in a small market like Tampa, you never like to see something like that happen.”

GETZLAF OUT AGAIN

Getzlaf sat out for the second straight game to let an upper-body injury heal as he hopes to practice and be ready for Tampa Bay on Thursday. He hurt himself in the morning skate Friday but got his first hat trick that night against Buffalo.

“Before the Buffalo game, I was pretty sore,” Getzlaf said. “And we didn't know what exactly was going on and that kind of stuff. I played against Buffalo, obviously, and as the game progressed, it got worse and worse.

“And then the next day was basically the kicker. I was around the house and I couldn't do a lot of things. That's when we went and got an MRI done and established exactly what was going on.”

The Ducks naturally haven’t looked as smooth offensively without their catalyst.

“Make no mistakes about it, we miss the big fella coming in there,” Coach Bruce Boudreau said. “He is our straw that stirs the drink. We miss him.”

NOTES

Sami Vatanen was back in the lineup for just the second time in the last five games as winger Kyle Palmieri was scratched because of flu-like symptoms, and Boudreau went with seven defensemen.

Vatanen had played in the first 15 games of the season but Luca Sbisa’s return from a sprained left ankle has created a crowded blue line. Both of them rotated around with Vatanen playing 16:27 and Sbisa logging just 11:21 of ice time. …

Tickets for the Ducks-Kings outdoor game on Jan. 25 at Dodger Stadium will go on sale to the general public Tuesday. The teams have previously been part of season-opening games in Europe, with them facing each other in 2007 in London.

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